Liam''s Perspective


    I sat cross-legged at the center of the Hydrating Tower, my eyes closed in deep meditation. The tower''s energy swirled around me like a tornado, drawn inexorably into my body. What had once been a vast ocean of qi was now barely a trickle.


    Five days in this tower had changed everything. My cultivation had skyrocketed beyond my wildest expectations. I could feel my meridians expanding, strengthening with each breath I took.


    The final wisps of qi in the tower flowed into me. My body trembled as power coursed through every cell. A sudden rity washed over my mind.


    I had reached the peak of the Enlightenment Stage.


    Opening my eyes, I watched as the glowing runes on the tower walls dimmed. I''d absorbed everythingpletely drained this ancient structure of its power.


    "Incredible," I whispered, flexing my fingers.


    The difference in my strength was staggering. What would have taken months, perhaps years of normal cultivation, I''d aplished in less than a week. The Divine Dragon Power that had once been difficult to control now responded to my will like an extension of myself.


    I stood up, stretching my limbs. My muscles felt dense,pact with energy waiting to be unleashed. I punched the air experimentally.


    A shock wave rippled outward, disturbing the dust on the floor. I smiled. This was just a fraction of what I could now do.


    "As for Dudley Lowell," I said to the empty chamber, confidence filling my voice, "he should be easy to handle!"


    ---


    The Great Hall of the Ivory Phoenix Hotel buzzed with nervous energy. Dozens of Eldoria''s elite families had gathered in response to Dudley Lowell''s summons. The massive crystal chandeliers cast a deceptively warm glow over the room, belying the tension in the air.


    Dudley Lowell stood at the front, dressed impably in a tailored ck suit. His smile was predatory as he surveyed the crowd. Four days had passed since the murders began. Four days of systematic terror that had brought Eldoria''s power structure to its knees.


    "Friends," Dudley began, his voice smooth as silk. "Thank you for epting my invitation."


    The room fell silent. This was no invitation—it was amand that none dared refuse.


    "Recent events have been... regrettable," he continued, sipping from a ss of red wine. "But necessary to establish a new order in our fair city." <var ss="story-note-vis">Brоught tо yоu by МV6LЕМРY6R.</var>


    In the crowd, Adrian Whitlock, head of Whitlock Industries, clenched his jaw. Blood had spilled through Eldoria''s streets for days while Liam Knight remained missing. The death toll had risen to six prominent family heads, all with connections to Liam.


    "I''ve called you here to offer peace," Dudley announced. "A simple path forward. Pledge your loyalty to me now, publicly disavow Liam Knight, and you''ll be spared his fate."


    Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Most had already decided toply. Fear was a powerful motivator.


    One by one, family representatives stepped forward to kneel before Dudley. The Wrights. The Kellermans. The Mandevilles. Even the remaining Great Family, the Prestons, bent the knee.


    Conrad Thornton watched the spectacle with disgust. He''d managed to survive the attack on his estate through sheer luck—ast-minute security alert had forced Dudley to retreat. Now he stood near the back, leaning heavily on his cane, his white hair seeming even whiter under the chandeliers'' light.


    "Thornton," Dudley called out, eyes finding the old man in the crowd. "Your turn to pledge."


    Conrad stepped forward, but didn''t kneel. The room grew tense.


    "I will not," Conrad said, his voice wavering but resolute.


    Dudley''s smile vanished. "You''ve already lost two security teams. Do you wish to lose your life as well?"


    "My grandfather built this city alongside the other founding families," Conrad replied. "I won''t dishonor his legacy by kneeling to a thug."


    Dudley''s eyes narrowed. "And Knight? Will you disavow him at least?"


    "Liam Knight is a man of honor," Conrad said firmly. "For all we know, he''s unaware of what''s happening. I won''t condemn a man without giving him a chance to defend himself."


    Adrian Whitlock stepped forward to stand beside Conrad. At forty-five, he was one of the younger power yers in the room, but his technological empire made him impossible to ignore.


    "I stand with Thornton," Adrian dered. "Knight earned my respect. He doesn''t deserve this betrayal."


    Dudley''s face flushed with anger. "You choose death, then."


    Adrian smiled coldly. "I choose dignity. Something you clearly know nothing about."


    The insultnded like a p. Dudley''s qi red visibly around him, causing several nearby sses to crack.


    "You think because you create fancy gadgets, you can speak to me this way?" Dudley snarled. "I could crush your skull with one hand!"


    "Perhaps," Adrian replied calmly. "But would that make you worthy of our loyalty? Power through fear isn''t leadership. It''s tyranny."


    The room held its breath. No one had dared speak to Dudley this way since his reign of terror began.


    Dudley stepped closer to Adrian, his voice dangerously soft. "When this is over, I''ll make your death particrly creative."


    Conrad ced a steadying hand on Adrian''s shoulder. "We''ve said our piece. We''ll take our leave now."


    As they turned to go, Dudley called after them. "By sunrise, both your families will be erased from Eldoria''s history! This I promise!"


    The doors closed behind them with a heavy thud.


    ---


    In a corner of the banquet hall, Eamon Greene and Sofia Carrera sat together, untouched sses of champagne before them. They exchanged puzzled nces as Dudley continued threatening those who had defied him.


    "Strange," Sofia muttered. "He hasn''t even acknowledged us."


    Eamon nodded, his scarred face grim. "We''ve worked with Liam more closely than half the people he''s targeted. Yet not a single threat."


    Sofia sipped her champagne thoughtfully. "It''s almost insulting. Like we''re not important enough to kill."


    "Or he knows something we don''t," Eamon replied. "Either way, I don''t like being overlooked."


    They watched as Dudley continued his performative disy of power, epting pledges from terrified family heads.


    "Should we make ourselves known?" Sofia asked. "Defend Liam''s name?"


    Eamon shook his head slightly. "Not yet. Conrad and Adrian bought us time with their stand. We should use it to prepare."


    Sofia nodded in agreement. "For when Liam returns."


    "If he returns," Eamon corrected grimly.


    "He will," Sofia said with unexpected conviction. "I''ve seen him ovee worse odds."


    ---


    Back in the Hydrating Tower, I gathered my belongings. The ancient structure had given me more than I could have hoped for. My qi reserves were now nearly triple what they had been before.


    I needed to return to Eldoria soon. The uneasy feeling that had been growing in my gut couldn''t be ignored any longer. Something was wrong—I could sense it.


    But first, I needed to secure more resources. With my new level of power, advancing further would require specialized herbs. The Mist Valley, just north of here, was rumored to contain Spirit Sage and Blood Lotus—both crucial for breaking through to the Transcendent Stage.


    I paused at the tower''s entrance, looking back at the now-dormant structure. Its walls, once pulsing with energy, stood silent and dim. It would take decades to recharge naturally.


    "Thank you," I whispered to the ancient walls. "Your gift won''t be wasted."


    Stepping out into the sunlight, I took a deep breath of fresh air. My senses were heightened beyond belief. I could hear a stream babbling nearly a mile away, smell the distinct fragrance of wildflowers on the breeze.


    I smiled, clenching my fist. The power was intoxicating.


    "Dudley Lowell," I said to the wind, "whatever game you''re ying, it ends when I return."


    Little did I know that by the time I made it back to Eldoria, there might be nothing left to save.